LAUSD bans blindfolding students in wake of Miramonte scandal

Los Angeles Unified has barred lessons involving blindfolds in the wake of a teacher sex scandal at Miramonte Elementary School.

The district sent a memo to principals on Feb. 23 saying blindfolding might be negatively perceived because of the case involving former teacher Mark Berndt, according to published reports. Berndt, a Torrance resident, is accused of photographing students who were blindfolded as they ate cookies smeared with his semen.

He has pleaded not guilty to 23 counts of lewd conduct.

Blindfolding is part of a fourth-grade reading program designed to teach students about sensory details. In pairs, one student is blindfolded and handed an object, and the blindfolded child answers the partner's questions about the object.

In his memo, Deputy Superintendent Jaime Aquino suggested that students could explore objects placed in an opaque bag instead.

Butter-making also has been banned at a North Hollywood school where students ate the finished product on crackers. The principal canceled the lesson after a parent complained.

Meanwhile, attorney Luis Carrillo said Friday he had filed 33 legal claims against the district, charging that administrators ignored warning signs about Berndt.

Carrillo told reporters he filed 20 claims on behalf of Miramonte children who said they were victimized by Berndt and 13 claims on behalf of parents who say they were traumatized when they found out the teacher had been arrested.

Carrillo said several complaints about Berndt were made as far back as 1990 and 1991, but action was never taken.

LAUSD officials declined to comment about the legal claims, which are precursors to lawsuits.

Superintendent John Deasy said this week that the district had discovered a little-known clause in teacher contracts that requires information about alleged misconduct that does not result in disciplinary action to be removed from personnel files after four years.

Deasy instructed labor negotiators to push for the removal of the clause. Officials with United Teachers Los Angeles said they were open to discussing the issue.

The Miramonte case also has spotlighted the difficulty of firing problem teachers - even those accused of egregious misconduct.

Berndt challenged his termination after he was fired in January 2011. He agreed to drop the challenge and resign after he received a $40,000 payout.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa released a letter Friday that he wrote to Gov. Jerry Brown, urging him to revise state laws that make it difficult to fire teachers who violate the public trust.

He also said laws should be passed to prevent teachers who engage in misconduct or criminal behavior from receiving their pension and lifetime health benefits.